Ultimate Cinnamon Sticky Buns

cinnamon sticky buns recipe

This Cinnamon Sticky Buns recipe is “ultimate” for a reason, they’re filled with juicy, roasted apples, sweet cinnamon-sugar and a crunchy, toasted walnut sauce you’re gonna absolutely love! Seriously, we’ve tested a lot of sticky bun recipes and none even come close to this one. They are the flakiest, softest, most “buttery” cinnamon sticky buns we’ve ever tasted.

Deliciously Decadent

When you bake this cinnamon sticky buns recipe you’ll be delighted by the smell of sweet cinnamon wafting through your kitchen, make sure to brew a fresh pot of coffee because, served together, they are perfection. Perfect for a lazy weekend (or holiday) morning!

Unforgettable Taste

If you’ve never made this cinnamon sticky buns recipe before, make sure to go easy on the dough. Also, for this recipe we used walnuts, but traditional recipes call for pecans. Your choice! The sticky sauce is what really makes these Cinnamon Sticky Buns unforgettable. You’ll pour it in the baking dish and sprinkle the toasted nuts on top. Next you’ll add each individual bun, and then bake to perfection. Once baked simply invert the pan over a serving dish to remove so the sticky sauce is on top of the buns for everyone to drool over! 😉

Deliciously Delicate Dough

This cinnamon sticky buns recipe is unlike our other Cinnamon Roll recipe because it’s made with a traditional yeast, meaning the dough will need to rise, so make sure to set aside extra time for each rise. We used a traditional stand mixer to make the dough, but you can use a mixing bowl with beaters if you don’t own a stand mixer. If you want to purchase a stand mixer we’ve listed our favorite one after the recipe so make sure to take a peek.

Back to the dough. After mixing, you’ll allow it to rise once in a covered bowl. Once it’s doubled in size you’ll roll it, but be careful to not be rough with the rolling pin! You can also allow it to rest while rolling, and be very gentle when handling it to keep it as delicate and flakey as possible. Once you slice the buns and arrange them on top of the sticky nut sauce you’ll let it rise once more. Then in the oven they go! 😋

Recommended Cooking & Serveware

Cinnamon Sticky Buns Recipe

Cinnamon Sticky Buns

These cinnamon sticky buns are bursting with delicious cinnamon and juicy apple flavor! They're also drizzled with the tastiest, stickiest walnut sauce you've ever eaten. Save this recipe, you're going to want to make them more than once!

Course
Breakfast

Cuisine
Vegan

Servings12people

AuthorVegan Test Kitchen

Ingredients

Dough

1cunsweetened almond milk

2tbsppure, organic maple syrup

2 1/4tspyeast

2 1/2corganic pastry flour

1/4corganic extra virgin coconut oil, unrefined

1/4tspsea salt

Sticky Walnut Sauce

2/3ctoasted walnuts, chopped(may substitute with pecans)

1/2corganic brown sugar, packed

1/4cvegan butter

2 tbsporganic, pure maple syrup

1/2tspsea salt

Cinnamon Apple Filling

3smallapples, chopped (we used Honeycrisp)

1/2corganic brown sugar, packed

3tbspvegan butter

1tbsporganic Ceylon cinnamon

Instructions

Dough

Combine the almond milk and maple syrup in a small bowl and microwave until warm (approximately 45-60 seconds).

Add the yeast to the bowl and set aside for approximately 10 minutes or until foamy.

Meanwhile, combine the pastry flour and sea salt in a large stand mixer and combine with the dough hook.

Once the almond milk mixture is foamy add it to the mixing bowl along with the coconut oil and combine on low speed until a soft dough forms. Continue to knead the dough for another 5 minutes, or until it begins to gather around the dough hook. Do not over-mix!

Coat a large bowl with cooking spray and carefully transfer the dough to the bowl. Cover and allow to rise until doubled in size (approximately one hour).

Apple Filling

While the dough is rising, heat 1 tablespoon of the vegan butter in a medium sized saucepan over medium low heat. Add the chopped apples and sauté until soft, approximately 5 minutes. Transfer to a mixing bowl.

Sticky Walnut Sauce

Add the brown sugar and vegan butter to the saucepan and whisk. Allow to simmer for approximately 5 minutes.

Add the maple syrup and sea salt. Whisk once again to combine. Remove from the heat and pour into a 8" loaf pan or a 8" round baking pan coated with cooking spray.

Carefully sprinkle the chopped walnuts over the sticky sauce.

Cinnamon Filling

In a small mixing bowl, combine the vegan butter, brown sugar and cinnamon until creamy and smooth. Set aside.

Rolled Dough

Once the dough has risen to twice its size carefully transfer it to a surface dusted with flour and roll into a rectangle shape to a 1/4" thickness.

Using a spatula, carefully spread the cinnamon filling onto the rolled dough all the way to the edges.

Carefully spread the sautéed apples over the cinnamon filling until even.